The present invention relates to a liquid dispenser for discharging various kinds of liquids and, more particularly, to a liquid dispenser having a flexible container and a valve mechanism which can be actuated manually by adding a presure onto the flexible container. The present invention provides an improved liquid dispenser which permits a stable discharge of the liquid out of the container.
The liquid dispenser according to the present invention is suitably used for, especially, cosmetics such as nail colors, foundation, creams and other cosmetic liquids, and various kinds of liquids such as writing ink, eraser liquid, pastes and paints suitable for stationery, and foodstuff liquids.
A liquid dispenser having a valve which can be actuated by a collapsible container is known as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-32784, published Aug. 5, 1980. The dispenser disclosed in the publication has a valve stem having an inclined surface and a pair of flexible actuators each having a tapered portion adapted to coact with the inclined surface of the valve so that when the actuator is pressed inwardly by pressing the flexible container, the valve is forcibly moved away from a valve-aperture within the container to discharge a liquid out of the flexible container through the valve-aperture and a nib.
In the known liquid dispenser as described above, however, the valve is moved away from its closed position by frictional coaction between the inclined surface of the valve stem and the tapered portion of the flexible actuators. Consequently, the coacted portions are worn out by friction, with the result that valve-opening timing is delayed relative to the manual actuation of the actuator, the manual actuation being the application of pressure on the flexible container. Thus, the necessary amount of deformation of the collapsible container for opening the valve increases gradually as the frictionally coacting members are worn. Consequently, a stable discharge of the liquid is not maintained.